The process approach In the mid-1970s the process approach began to replace the product approach. The process approach identifies four stages in writing: (1) prewriting, (2) composing/drafting, (3) revising, and (4) editing (Tribble 1996). These stages are recursive, or nonlinear, and they can interact with each other throughout the writing process. For example, many writers return to prewriting activities during some stage of the revision process to develop a new idea or refine a viewpoint. The process approach emphasizes revision, and also feedback from others, so students may produce many drafts with much crossing out of sentences and moving around of paragraphs. The correction of spelling and punctuation is not of central importance at the early stages.